Linchpin
by boombamfirepower
Summary: AU. Five years ago, Garcia applied for a job overseas. Morgan left for New York and Reid decided to teach full time. When Henry goes missing, the team is reunited to help one of their own. How has Penelope's departure affected the ones that she loves, and will their team ever be able to heal?
1. Chapter 1

Based off of 4x23. If you haven't seen the episode, you might be a little confused.

AU in which Garcia gets a different job. In this storyline, Hotch hasn't left, Spencer never got imprisoned, and Morgan doesn't have a kid. Oh, and no Scratch.

Hope you enjoy.

OoOoOoO

She sat there in the silence, painted fingernails hovering over the keyboard. Her heel-clad foot bobbed nervously under the table.

For the first time in a while, she felt guilt stab at her chest as she worked.

"What am I doing?" Penelope muttered to herself, rubbing her temples exasperatedly. She closed the window without hesitation, disrupting her hacking. If Kevin found out she was hacking the system to sabotage his job interview, he would be furious.

But still…

The worry that he would leave her so easily almost hurt more than the guilt. She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

His words echoed in her ears. _"I could if you applied with me. They need other people."_

Was she actually considering this? Leaving the BAU? Leaving the place that had been her home for who-knows-how-many years?

As much as she loved her people, sometimes she wondered what life would be like if she wasn't in the FBI. Maybe it would mean getting longer than four hours of sleep a night, or not seeing grisly images on her screens.

 _But could she leave her family?_ The thought of not seeing Morgan was enough to make her feel as though she had been socked in the gut. And Reid? JJ? Emily? Even the thought of little Henry being alone made her sad.

 _But am I happy?_ The thought surprised her, more so because she found that she didn't have an answer. In reality, she did this job because of the people. She did it because she felt like she was helping her family. So, would they understand if she left, or would they be angry? _What would they do without her?_

 _Everything._ She sighed, looking at her screens. If she left, right this moment, there would be another. There would be a technical analyst who could do almost as good a job as she could, maybe even better.

 _So why was she still there?_

The phone ringing on her desk jerked her back to reality.

"Hey baby girl." It was Morgan. A small sliver of her hoped that he was making a social call, but she should have known he wouldn't. "I need you to run a plate for me, and fast."

OoOoOoO

 _Five years later_

She was so warm.

JJ clenched her eyes shut tighter, blocking out the rays of sun that threatened to disturb her sleep. She burrowed tighter under the comforters.

She felt, rather than saw Will move closer and wrap his arm around her waist from behind. "Brace yourself." He muttered. Before she could ask what he meant, she heard it. Small taps on the hardwood floors. She groaned and ducked under the covers just as a small body flung itself on top of her.

"MOMMY!" The covers were pulled back, and a small face peered down at her, getting so close that she could feel his hair tickling her nose. She kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep. "Are you still seepin?" His voice dropped to a whisper.

Instead of responding, she sat up and knocked him playfully onto the bed. His words turned to giggles as she tickled him stomach. Will sat up as well and watched them with a smile.

"What do you want for breakfast, little man?" He asked once the little boy could talk.

"Pancakes!" Henry jumped up and began bouncing on the bed, still breathless.

"Why don't you go brush your teeth and daddy will start working on that?" Henry stopped bouncing at his mother's words and slid off the bed, eager for his special breakfast. Once he was gone, Will kissed his girl and slid out of bed, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She leaned over and grabbed her phone from the bedside table. Bracing herself, she turned the screen on, hoping to god there was nothing important waiting for her. She sighed with relief when the only thing that appeared was her lock screen and the time.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and left the warmth of the sheets rather reluctantly. Once she had brushed her teeth, she threw on house pants and a cozy t-shirt and made her way downstairs.

Upon entering the kitchen, she found her boys sitting at the counter, making the batter for the pancakes.

A loud burst of early morning thunder surprised them all. JJ was about to say something when she noticed a stray toy laying in the yard. The dark clouds meant rain and she did not want to have to buy him another robot toy (considering he had left the last two to get ruined in the rain).

"Hey Henry! Go get your robot before he gets wet!" The little boy gasped and went running out of the kitchen and into the backyard.

"Did you sleep okay?" He asked her when they were alone. She came and stood next to him, watching him pour the batter into the skillet.

"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged. "You?"

"Yeah I guess." He replied and they chuckled. She wrapped her arms around his torso and they stood there, enjoying the silence for a moment. "This batch is almost ready. Can you go check on him?"

She nodded and left his side, heading towards the back of the house. It was just like Henry to get sidetracked playing with toys. He would go up to his room to get dressed and they'd find him an hour later, surrounded by Legos.

"Henry? Come on in!" The rain was starting to dot the back patio.

There was no one in the yard. "Henry?"

She felt panic begin to rise in her chest. She jogged around the side of the house, but there was nothing. No one was there. That stupid little robot was still sitting in the yard.

The rain was beginning to pour down, but she ran the length of the yard in full on panic mode.

"HENRY?"

"JJ!" Will had come out to see what was going on.

"HE'S GONE!" Her heart had gone cold. Tears welled up and spilled onto her cheeks, mixing with the rainwater. She practically collapsed in the yard, drenched and shaking. "Henry's gone."

OoOoOoO

She was…..tired. And rather confused.

Penelope had no idea why she had been dragged out. After sitting behind a computer screen for almost thirteen hours, she just wanted to curl up with a pizza and a movie.

"Can you at least pretend you're having fun?" Her partner hissed next to her. She sent a glare to the young blonde.

"Why did you drag me out here?" Penelope groaned quietly. "I'm exhausted."

"I am too!" The girl's look tuned to one of understanding. "Believe me, I wouldn't have brought you out tonight if I didn't have to. BUT there are several big wigs here. It would be nice if we could at least make nice with our bosses."

She had a point. Her site manager was currently talking to several very important people. On any normal night, she would go over and begin a conversation. Not tonight. She was tired.

A buzz from her pocket signaled a phone call. She pulled it out and frowned at the _unknown number_ that flashed across the screen.

Getting up from the table, she hastily made her way out of the restaurant/bar and out onto the street.

"Hello?"

"Penelope?" She froze at the voice. She had given him this number years ago, but he never called it. He was the only person who knew how to get in touch with her.

"Reid?" She glanced around her, noting that several men were eyeing her suspiciously. She ducked around the building and into a back alley. "It's so good to hear your voice."

There was a beat of silence, of hesitation. "It's good to hear your voice, too." He sounded…sad? Relieved? She wasn't sure.

"What can I do you for, doc?" She smiled a bit in spite of herself.

"How fast can you get to D.C?" Reid asked hesitantly.

"That's a long flight, mon ami." She replied. "What's going on?"

"It's Henry."

He didn't need to say anymore. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

OoOoOoO


	2. Chapter 2

_Five years ago_

She was going to do it….going to do it….going to…..going

"Shit, I can't do this." Garcia turned around and began hobbling back to her office in her super tight, why-did-I-get-heels-so-high shoes. _What was she thinking?_ She stopped herself in the hallway, the gears going in her head.

She had to tell Morgan…..right? It was such a catch-22. If she told him, he would be pissed that he didn't tell him about applying for the job and the subsequent job offer she got two hours after the interview. If she didn't tell him, he would be pissed at her for leaving without telling why. BUT she was leaving the U.S in less than a week and it was all such a whirlwind, BUT the thought of confronting her Chocolate Thunder make her stomach twist up in really uncomfortable knots.

"Penelope!" Derek's voice startled her so bad that she dropped the file she was holding.

"Derek Chocolate-Thunder-Morgan, you made me drop my stuff." She grumbled and knelt down to try and put the papers into a semi-neat pile.

"Well I called for you three times and you didn't answer, smarty pants." He replied back in a sassy tone, putting his hands on his hips. She stood and pushed her glasses back up her nose. "Hey, what's up with you?"

"Nothing." She replied dismissively. She tried to skirt around him, but he put a strong hand on her shoulder before she could get too far.

"Baby girl, you've been distracted all day. _What_ is going on in that pretty little head of yours?" His dark eyes watched her, waiting for an answer.

She sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get away from this conversation. "Come with me." She took his hand and led him out of the doors towards her batcave. When they arrived, she put the messed up file on her desk and sat in her chair with a sigh.

Derek grabbed the chair next to her desk after closing the door, and turned it around to sit in it so his arms were resting on the back. He sat there, watching her expectedly.

"I got a job offer, Derek." She found herself twirling one of the rings on her finger anxiously.

"You're not leaving the BAU." It wasn't a question so much as a statement. He was fiercely loyal, both to her and the team. They were in a perfect place right now, and she was threatening to tear it apart. The thought made her nauseous.

"Derek, it was for a job I applied for." There was complete silence in the room. Even her machines seemed to be holding their breaths. She watched as a whole slew of emotions, from confusion to anger to sadness flit across his face.

"Penelope, why-"

"I was afraid, and I wasn't even sure that I would get it so I didn't tell anyone." She felt herself beginning to cry. "I got called in for the interview yesterday and they called me two hours later and offered me an even better position than the one I applied for."

"With who?" He was angry. She was afraid to answer.

"The CIA."

"Here in D.C?" She shook her head. "Where?"

"Derek, I can't say." She felt the wetness of a tear trickle down her face. "I can only tell you that I'll be in the Middle East."

Derek leaned his head forward and rested his forehead against his arms. "Why would you leave?"

The question struck her to her core. He didn't look at her, and she was glad. His reaction would most definitely make her cry harder.

"Nothing lasts forever, Derek." She tried to keep her voice steady. "I can't look at dead bodies every day and know that there is nothing I can do to help their families besides go through their paper trails. I don't sleep anymore. I thought that after the first few years, the nightmares would stop but they won't." She took a few shaky breaths and wiped the tears from her face. "I leave at the end of the week."

"But-" A knock on her door cut off his words. Even after she got up to let JJ in, Derek was still looking at where she had been sitting with a shell-shocked look on his face.

"Everything ok?" The petite blonde frowned in the doorway.

"Yeah, everything's good. What's up?" Penelope smiled rather convincingly.

"We have a case in Seattle." JJ held up a file with a chuckle and then turned around back down the hallway, leaving them alone once more.

"Derek." He had stood and was getting ready to leave. She moved over to him and put a hand on his arm. "I can't tell them. You, and Reid, will be the only two people who will even know I'm joining the CIA. I can't even tell my brothers."

"Penelope I-"

"Derek, look at me." His chocolate eyes met hers for the first time since their discussion began. "You have to keep them safe." Her voice was pleading. He nodded slowly.

As she watched him walk out of her office, she felt as though her chest was caving in.

OoOoOoO

 _Present_

If there was one thing Spencer Reid hated more than anything, it was grading

His mind, as quick and sharp as it was, found it hard to read 20,000 words per minute when the words were littered with grammatical (and sometimes spelling) errors. In fact, since the essays were turned in the night previously, he had already run out of ink in his favorite red pen.

He dropped the writing utensil with a groan and rubbed his eyes, feeling drowsiness in every part of his body. He glanced to the clock and groaned again, realizing that he had only been at work about forty five minutes. His first class, an advanced calculus course, wasn't due to start for another hour.

"This calls for coffee." He muttered to himself. He stood from the desk and exited his office with the intent of heading towards the Dunkin Donuts up the block from the building. He was standing outside the building when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Reid, it's Hotch." The young Professor's blood froze in his veins. Hotch had barely talked to him at all since he began teaching. It made him wonder what was going on.

"Hey Hotch. What's going on?"

"Something's happened. How fast can you get to Quantico?" Hotch's tone was curt and it made Reid nervous.

"A few hours if I fly. Hotch-"

"Can you get in touch with Morgan? I tried reaching his cell but he isn't answering." The chief was met with silence as Reid tried to sort his thoughts out right. He and Morgan hadn't seen each other since Morgan transferred to New York. The man had literally up and moved without telling anyone but Hotch, shortly after Garcia left. It had left him feeling completely barren on the inside. So when he was invited to teach in Boston, he couldn't say no. "Reid?"

"I can try." Spencer found his words. "Hotch, tell me what's going on."

There was silence on the other line. "Henry is missing."

Henry? Spencer felt like the air had been sucked out of him, like he had been beaten. There was ice in his veins and he heard his heart pounding in his ears. He didn't even realize that he had hung up until his phone clattered to the ground.

 _Focus kid, focus._ He knew exactly what he needed to do. He scooped up his phone and shoved it in his pocket. His coffee order was long forgotten as he crossed the street and headed up to the gas station. Once he arrived, he found what he was looking for. A payphone.

He pulled a small sliver from his bag pocket, something he had been carrying every day for the last five years. After ruffling around for some change, he dialed the number and waited, hoping.

"Hello?"

"Penelope?" he hoped she hadn't changed her number.

"It's so good to hear your voice." It was her. He knew the tones of her voice like he knew the back of his hand. He wasn't sure how to respond, how to tell her what was going on without breaking into tears. So, he just replied as best he could.

"It's good to hear your voice, too." He replied. He felt the tears welling behind his eyes.

"What can I do you for, doc?" Her voice was playful, and a bit happy. It made him smile in spite of the situation.

"How fast can you get to D.C?" He asked her.

"That's a long flight, mon ami." She replied. "What's going on?"

"It's Henry." He heard her breath catch in her throat.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." The phone clicked off, and he was left standing there in silence. _Now what?_ The silence was giving him time to think, and time to think meant odds and statistics that only made him more depressed as time went on.

With that fact in mind, he put every ounce of himself into every activity he did. By the time he had packed, announced the cancellation of his classes, and booked a flight to New York, he was mentally exhausted. Still, though, he had work to do.

He left his apartment and got a cab to the airport. Once he checked in, he had another hour to wait before he could board his flight. For most of that hour, he just stared at the name _Derek_ in his contacts list.

"Hello?"

Spencer didn't expect him to pick up on the first try.

"Wow. Quite the greeting for an old friend." Reid replied sarcastically.

"Sorry this is a new phone. Reid?" Morgan seemed happy to know it was him. He dreaded ruining that happiness. "What's shakin' pretty boy?"

"I'm getting ready to get on a plane, actually."

"Oh yeah? Where you headed?" Morgan's optimism was contagious.

"New York." The line went silent. "Look, Derek, something's happened. Henry's gone missing."

"Missing?" He was angry. "What do they know?"

"I don't know but Hotch called. He wants us back in Quantico. Think you can meet me at La Guardia?"

"Absolutely." There was a rustle in the background. The sound of Morgan's computer coming to life could be heard. "I guess we're getting the team back together, huh?"

"I guess so." Spender couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit apprehensive at the thought.

OoOoOoO

A/N: I don't own anything. I hope this wasn't too ooc. Let me know what you guys think.


	3. Chapter 3

Every single little twitch was like a fire alarm in JJ's head. Every movement sent her on edge, every sound made her jerk. Every fiber of her being hoped that she would hear the sounds of little Henry and see him running into her arms.

And every time she realized that it was just a police officer or a crime scene guy, her heart sunk further into her chest.

"JJ," She was afraid to look up, afraid of what may happen if she acknowledged Hotch's presence. "You need some air?"

She had been sitting at her kitchen table, staring into the distance for several hours now.

"Yeah." Her voice trembled a bit. She got up slowly and followed him across the house and out the front door. The weather out there was bracing, but it gave her a bit more energy and made her feel more awake.

Hotch didn't say anything-he just kept that stoic, unemotional face. He was waiting for her to speak first, unwilling to force her to talk. Sometimes she forgot what an understanding man he was.

"I keep thinking," Her throat was dry and the words felt empty when she talked. "about all those kids we've worked with. I just can't stop seeing them in my head."

"JJ-"

"I don't want to lose Henry." Her voice broke, and something tore deep in her chest and sent the tears flowing.

"Jennifer, we are not going to let that happen." He insisted. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, something he rarely did. "I hate to do this, but you are going to have to help us."

"I know." She wiped the tears from her face and sniffled, feeling a bit better than she had earlier. The dread still lingered in her chest, but if felt like she had help lifting it now. "I'm gonna go make a list of everyone Henry's been in contact with in the last six months."

"Good. I sent Will and Prentiss out a few minutes ago to get you all some food and coffee. They should be back soon." He removed his arm and gestured towards the house. "I'm going to run by Henry's school and see if there is anything there we need to know."

"Okay." She nodded and headed inside.

"JJ," she turned just before walking through the doorway, "we will find him."

His words provided a little bit of reassurance, but she knew that it would still be a long day.

OoOoOoO

Four hours after Henry's disappearance, Reid found himself disembarking his flight from Boston into LaGuardia Airport in New York.

He hated flying commercially, mostly because he never had any privacy and the flights seem to last forever. This particular day, however, it felt like the world was trying to make his life hell. Not only was there a six month old sitting next to him, screaming, but there was a bratty two year old behind him kicking his seat for the entire plane ride.

He was glad when they finally touched down and he could stretch his long legs on the walk to his next gate. Morgan, whom he had called once more on the car ride to the airport, would be waiting for him.

A feeling of apprehension set in as he made his way down the terminal. Aside from the obvious tension going on, the idea of seeing Morgan again made him antsy. In all honesty, he was still a little angry with the man.

Not even three months after Penelope had walked away from the BAU, Morgan announced he was leaving for New York. Of course, Garcia's untimely departure had left gaping holes in each of their hearts, but Morgan's announcement just made them angry. And Reid, well, even five years later he was still irritated with his friend. It was that feeling of emptiness and betrayal that sent him to Boston, to a teaching position in the mathematics department that he had been offered a couple of times.

Of course, five years had dulled that feeling of emptiness, but he still felt incomplete.

"Hey pretty boy!" Spender stopped in his tracks, not even realizing that he had walked right past his gate. He turned slowly, a smile spreading across his face. When he saw his friend standing there, smile on his face, his hollow feeling seemed to dissipate.

"Hey Morgan." His smile became full-fledged as he embraced his best friend.

Morgan kept his arm around his younger friend as he led Spencer back towards the gate, where their next flight was boarding in less than an hour.

"Boston has been treating you alright?" Morgan gave him a sly smile. "I think you've gained some weight. You're less like a twig and more like a branch."

"And look at you. Did you stop your workout routine?" Morgan chuckled at the comeback and ruffled Spencer's hair.

"Look kid, I know we have a lot to catch up on, but I need to know what's going on in Quantico." The air between them seemed to become stuffy. Reid plopped into a chair and set his bag next to him. Morgan joined him on the bench.

"I don't really know much aside from what I told you." Reid shrugged. "He went out in the yard while they were inside making breakfast and when JJ went to check on him ten minutes later, he was gone. There aren't any new leads."

"Ok, so there's not much we can do." Morgan shook his head. "It's crazy."

"What is?"

"I was hoping we would all get together again sometime, just not like this." He rubbed a hand along his bald head.

"I called Garcia." Now that it was out in the open, he felt a bit better. However, the look on Morgan's face made him regret even saying anything.

"You did what?" Derek sat up, his expression a mix of anger and confusion. "Garcia is in the Middle East."

"Penelope is Henry's godmother." Reid replied, voice rising slightly. "I wasn't just going to keep that from her."

Derek groaned and sat back against the back of the chair, looking defeated. "Yeah, makes sense."

 _"Ladies and gentlemen, flight 247 to Dulles International Airport will begin boarding here shortly."_

"Look you can be mad at me but can it wait until all of this is over?" Reid stood and shouldered his bag. Morgan's eyes widened briefly, but he nodded and stood as well.

OoOoOoO

"Hotch." Dave stood there, watching the chief's back as he stared catatonic out the window. "I heard you went to the school. Any luck?"

"No." Hotch shook his head and folded his arms. "The teacher doesn't remember anything out of the ordinary. A few uniforms went to pick up the babysitter. They should be-"

"That's not necessary." The two men hadn't even realized the young girl had entered the house. "Sorry. I drove by and saw the police cars. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Your name?" Questioned Hotch, less than happy at her sudden appearance.

"Elaina Landsbury." Replied the red head, blue eyes wide. She looked terrified, which was a good sign in Hotch's book. "What happened?"

"Henry's has gone missing. Were you here last night?"

She shook her head, curls bouncing. "No, but I was here Thursday like usual. Will sometimes works late on Thursdays so I pick Henry up from school and give him dinner when JJ isn't here."

"Where were you last night?" Rossi spoke up.

"High school football game. I spent the night at a friend's house." Elaina looked like she was about to break. A single tear snaked down her cheek.

"We don't believe you had anything to do with this, Elaina. We are just trying to find out all of the information that we can." Rossi placed a hand on her shoulder. "Do you remember anything odd when you were here with Henry?"

She frowned, thinking for a moment. "Yeah, actually there was something. I didn't really even think much of it until now. There was a black SUV." Hotch stood erect, interest piqued. "It only caught my attention when I picked Henry up. Must have followed me for miles."

"What did you do?"

"I parked in a movie theater parking lot and took Henry in there for a bit. When I came out an hour later, he was gone."

"Can you tell me which theater?" Rossi pulled out his pen and notepad.

"The small one on Barnett Avenue." Rossi nodded and wrote it down. She frowned and glanced out the window behind them, watching as JJ and Will talked in quiet voices in the yard. "Can I go talk to them?"

The two men looked at one another. "Of course." Rossi replied, stepping out of the way so she could exit out the kitchen door. When she neared JJ and Will, the couple separated and greeted her with open arms.

Emily came in through the back door and stood next to them. "What do we know?"

"Nothing at the school. That's Elaina Landsbury, the babysitter." Rossi gestured to the redhead outside. "She said there was a black SUV that followed them for a while when she picked Henry up from school. I'm going to head to the theater now and see if we can get any surveillance feed."

"Emily, head to the school." Hotch directed. "See if you can pick up anything from the feed there."

A phone could suddenly be heard ringing. Hotch pulled his cell from his pocket and answered. "Hello? Yes. Yes, we're all here. Yeah, park down the road and let them know you're with us. I'll meet you in the driveway. Thanks."

"Who was that?" JJ appeared through the back door, looking at little bit hopeful.

"Reinforcements."

OoOoOoO

 _Thank god for private jets._ The mantra kept repeating itself as she sat there, heading towards familiar territory.

The flight home would take almost fifteen hours, and she was only six hours in. So, while she sat there, she dug up everything. Her fingers were flying across her keypad so fast that they were a blur. Occasionally she would frown, push her glasses back up her nose, and bite her lip, which was quite amusing to her travel companion.

"I don't see why you ever left." The blonde leaned her head against the seat with her eyes closed. "Just sitting here, watching you, I can tell you really enjoy it."

"Caroline, I am working." Penelope replied back, gears in her brain going a million miles an hour.

"Anything I can help with?" Sensing that her tone was genuine, Penelope smiled slightly at her partner and sat back against her seat.

"Not unless you can solve this case in less than ten minutes." Penelope removed her glasses, a tell-tale sign to her partner that she was worried. "This is going to sound awful, but….it's hard to ever picture this happening to my family. It's supposed to happen to _other_ people, not to us. We are supposed to be crime fighters, not victims."

Caroline sighed and thought for a moment. "Then make sure you get justice for it."

OoOoOoO

A/N: Yes there will be an OC, but she won't dominate the whole story. Her purpose will come in at the end. Thanks for reading babes.I don't own anything. Boomie out


	4. Chapter 4

"So what do we know?" The question from Hotch seemed to resound in the dining room, drawing the old members of the BAU in as though it were a game. How such a simple question managed to draw them in further was something they had been trying to figure out since their careers all began.

However, this time, it was different. This briefing room was a dining room and their favorite communications liaison was currently missing her son. It was hard to think of this as a routine case, which is why no one spoke up immediately.

"Look, I understand that this is not a textbook case, but this is about one of our own." Hotch stated, making eye contact with each of them. "We need to set aside any personal objections, and get this job done."

"He's right." Rossi put his hands in his pockets. "So, this is now a BAU missing kids case. What do we know?"

"Well, we know that henry went missing around 7 am. That's seven hours ago. We know that the suspect may be driving a black SUV." Morgan chimed in.

"We also know that 49% of child abductors are family and friends and 27% are acquaintances. Since JJ and Will are both here and both of their families have been accounted for, we can assume that this was either a stranger abduction or an abduction done by someone they aren't close to." Reid countered.

"Since JJ is a known member of the FBI, we can assume this wasn't random." Emily continued. "So it was probably someone who knew JJ, or even met her briefly."

Rossi was about to speak again when his phone suddenly beeped in his pocket. He took it out and answered it sheepishly, noting the curious frowns from his friends. Ignoring their stares, he ducked out into the hallway. "Hey." He kept his voice super quiet as he moved out the front door and onto the patio.

"Hello boy wonder." It was Penelope, trying to sound cheerful and failing. Worry lay thick over her voice. "Any news?"

"Nothing. No prints or any indicators of anything, really." He sighed into the phone. "I sure could use some help."

"Well, I can't promise you much of anything but here goes." She sighed heavily. "Thanks for sending me that security footage, b-t-dubs. Unfortunately, I cannot get a plate on the SUV. However, before you fall into a pit of despair, allow me to dazzle you." He smiled in spite of himself. "That suv that was following the babysitter-yeah it didn't just follow her. I was able to hack some street cam feeds near JJ's neighborhood and I found that same SUV trailing Will's partner's police car when she dropped him off after work last night. That was how he found her address."

"Any indication that he is still in town?"

"Patience, genius, I'm getting there. I have scoured video feeds from every major highway for the last few hours. Nada, zilch, goose egg. So ether he has changed cars, or he hasn't left the city." She finished, sounding a bit pleased with herself.

"Thanks, Garcia." He tried to be happy, even relieved, but he wished there was more.

"No problem. My plane lands in about six hours. In the meantime, I am going to see if I can pull a face off of the street cams that I can use for facial recognition."

"Thank you. I'll call you if we have anything." He hung up then, feeling exhausted. Just the act of trying to forget that Henry was the one missing made his head hurt. He rubbed his temples and made to head back inside.

"Who was that?" Emily asked him as he reentered the dining room. The others looked at him skeptically.

"No one." Spencer shrugged, avoiding eye contact.

"Reid." Hotch's unspoken command was firm: spill his guts. The young doctor sighed and shook his head.

"I called Garcia." The room went totally silent, to the point where one could hear a pen drop. Morgan frowned, Hotch's face softened, Rossi looked down at his shoes and Emily looked at Reid with confusion. "I sent her the footage from the security cams."

"Well?" Rossi's question made him jerk his head up. "What did she say?"

"She said she wasn't able to get a plate but that she caught the same SUV that followed the babysitter following Will's partner when she dropped him off from work. She's gonna try and see if she can run facial recognition software." Reid summarized, digging his hands into his pockets.

"Well, I'm glad you talked to her, then." Hotch gave him a small smile. "Until she can give us more information, we need to build a profile.

OoOoOoO

"We are looking for a white male, who either drives a black SUV, or has rented one in the past few days." Hotch was the first to speak to the small group of police officers that grouped on the front lawn. JJ stood with them, although she looked so fragile that he was afraid she'd break at the slightest breeze.

"Because of the lack of evidence at the scene, we can assume he is either very careful, or he has enough experience around law enforcement to know what we would be looking for. So look for someone who has been incarcerated or was somehow involved in the justice system." Rossi continued.

"Judging by security cam footage, we can assume he may still be in the area. So, check hotels. See if any of them have checked in a male guest recently who suddenly came back with a child." Emily chimed in.

"One last thing. This unsub was able to get Henry away without making any noise at all. So he is most likely someone kids can trust, or someone who looks approachable. This means he will most likely be younger, in his early to mid-twenties." The conversation was passed back to Hotch. "We have to remember that the first twenty-four hours are critical. We are down to sixteen hours left. Thank you." With a head nod, they were dismissed to begin knocking on doors.

"I wish we had more of a profile than that, but it's all we have." Rossi moved closer to him, watching the officers disperse.

"Hotch!" Reid was calling him. Aaron turned and saw the young agent staring with his phone to his ear. "She's got something." He pointed to the phone screen.

Hotchner came over and took the phone from Reid. "What have you got for me, Garcia?" His routine line caused a smile to creep across his face. It was nice, this feeling of having the team all together. It almost felt like old times. In fact, he was afraid of what would happen when this was all said and done.

"Straight to business then, huh Boss?" The optimism in her voice was contagious and only made him smile a bit wider. "Okay, I'm not sure what boy genius has told you, so I'm gonna start at the beginning. I wasn't able to get anything off the car itself. No plates, no distinguishing features, nada. So, I have been watching surveillance videos trying to get a shot of his face. I was able to, ran it through the system, and I have a match for you. His name is Bernie Coldwell. He lives alone in a big house about six miles from you. There's just one problem."

"What is it?"

"He has an alibi for this morning. Around the time Henry was taken, he was clocking into his part time job at a gas station. He's been there all morning." She replied. His heart sunk a bit. "Before you can ask, I've already sent his work and home address to your phone. Might be worth a visit to talk with him."

"Thanks Garcia."

"Yes sirree."

"And Penelope?"

"Yeah?"

"It's really good to have you back."

He could practically see her beaming through the phone. "I missed you guys." He hung up rather reluctantly.

"We've got a name. Bernie Coldwell." Hotch made his way back over to the team. "Morgan and Prentiss, I'm going to text you the address for his work place. He has an alibi for this morning, but I am hoping that he will be able to give some insight. Rossi, head over to his home address and talk to the family. Reid, since you no longer have clearance, you're going to have to stay with me." Morgan, Rossi, and Prentiss nodded at their marching orders and began heading in their respective destinations.

OoOoOoO

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. I wanted to be sure that I got a few chapters ahead of posting so I wasn't writing them as I went along. Next chapter is gonna have some cute stuff in it. Enjoy! Boomie out


	5. Chapter 5

Bernie Coldwell was a stout little man, with wispy white hair and icy grey eyes. He must have been in his seventies, and the man slumped over like standing straight was difficult. When they asked to speak with them, he nodded rather reluctantly and asked his manager to take a smoke break.

"It's our understanding that you own a black SUV?" Prentiss started, once the man had lit his cigarette.

"Yeah, what of it?" His tone was gruff and irritable.

"We are tracking a possible child abduction. We have footage of you tailing a police car to the family's home Friday night and following the babysitter of the child on Thursday afternoon. You have a reason for that?"

"Maybe it was a coincidence." The old man shrugged bitterly. Morgan fought every instinct and bit his tongue, but really he wanted to strangle the guy until he spilled his guts.

"Sir, right now you are looking at conspiracy to commit a crime, which means jail time. So I suggest you start telling us what we need to know." Morgan's reply was harsh, although his face remained stony.

"No need to go there." Bernie put up his hands to calm the detective down and put out his cigarette. "I didn't hurt anyone. I was paid to follow them."

"By who?" Morgan pressed.

"I don't know his name." Bernie shrugged. "He waited for me when I got off of work. Asked me if I wanted to make three hundred bucks. I jumped at the offer." He lit up another cigarette. "Lord knows I needed the cash."

"You took an offer to follow somebody from a random guy you met outside the station?" Prentiss asked in disbelief.

"Well…yeah. I mean even if he didn't have a badge, I probably-"

"Badge?" Morgan cut him off.

"Yeah. Guy was a cop of some kind." Bernie shrugged, not seeming the least bit understanding of the shitstorm he had just brought on their heads.

"Hey Bernie!" A young girl with her blonde hair in a ponytail poked her head out the back door. "Boss is lookin' for ya." She told him around a blob of bubblegum.

"Thanks for your help." Emily practically dragged Morgan out of earshot and turned to face him. "A coop?"

"I hate to say it, but it makes sense." Morgan thought out loud. "We profiled it would be somebody who could easily get kids to trust him. If Henry saw him in uniform, he wouldn't have hesitated."

"Let's see if we can get Garcia to look at gas station footage. If this guy was waiting for Bernie, we may be able to find him on those tapes." Prentiss made to head for the car, but she was stopped by Morgan's hand on her arm.

"What about the new technical analyst. Can't she do it?"

"Yes but Garcia can do it faster." Emily watched him struggle with his words for a moment, before she said. "You're still mad at her?"

It wasn't so much a question as it was a statement.

"I'm not mad." He sighed heavily and leaned against the car. "I just know that we are all going to get together and solve this case and then things will go back to the way they were before."

"I thought you liked New York."

"Emily that's not the point." Her gaze was making him feel uncomfortable. She was profiling him without even thinking about it. "Garcia was the main reason I left. It just didn't feel like home without her."

Her next question surprised him. "How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you been in love with her?"

"Emily I-" he tried to stutter out, but she cut him off.

"Derek, we profile people for a living. I know that something changed between you two before she left." Her voice was soft, her gaze kind.

He sighed, admitting defeat. "When she first told me that she had gotten the job, my first thought was that I would do anything to make her stay. I wanted to be happy for her, and I felt so selfish for even thinking that I could keep her here."

"I think we all did."

"Emily, I considered telling her how I felt." Hs confession made her eyes go wide. "She was with Kevin. The fact that it even crossed my mind just completely messed me up inside. It made her leaving hurt even more."

"Jesus, Morgan." She breathed, leaning against the car next to him.

"So not long after she left, I decided to go to New York. Just the idea of being here brought back thoughts I guess I wasn't ready to deal with."

"And how do you feel now?"

Her question made him pause with a frown. "I'm in love with her."

"Well, nothing was ever really accomplished by keeping silent about your feelings." She nudged him with her shoulder. "Maybe once all of this is over, you should call her."

He looked at her, thick eyebrows knitted. Surprisingly, he huffed out a laugh and threw his arm over her shoulder. "I missed you, you know that?"

"I missed you too, Derek."

OoOoOoO

"I got nothin'." Rossi's voice came over the car speaker. "The only family he has is his son, and he is almost never at the house. He wasn't able to give me any info about the man who paid Bernie."

"I sent the video footage to Spencer so he could get it to Garcia. Hopefully they should be able to find something." Emily replied. They were nearing JJ's house. When they turned the corner on the street, they found the house mostly clear of cop cars. Only two black SUVs remained, theirs, and one other. Morgan parked it and they exited out into the street. However, when they saw Hotch come out to meet them, they paused.

The look on his face was dark, and angry. "We got a note."

The three of them practically ran into the house, where they found JJ crying over a sheet of paper, wrapped in the plastic of an evidence bag. Will was behind her, hands on her shoulders, but he looked like he was about to crumble.

"Will, sit, please." Emily helped him into a chair next to his girlfriend.

"Who gave it to you?" Morgan folded his arms across his chest.

"One of the officers who was h-here." JJ sniffled, trying to keep her tears under control. "He said it had been given to him by some kid when he went to leave."

"Where is the guy?" Will asked her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"I-I don't know." JJ shrugged, her voice breaking. "I went to open it and by the time I looked up, he was gone."

"What does it say?"

Hotch took the note from her gently and handed it to Morgan, who had asked.

"'It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.' It is your fault that I am a broken man." Morgan frowned. "What the hell?"

"The first part is quote from Frederick Douglass. The second part, I'm not so sure." Reid folded his arms across his chest.

"So this guy is a cop who wants revenge? For what?" Emily shook her head. "Have we angered somebody that badly?"

"Probably not. Most likely, he was working a case with us and somehow felt wronged. Or maybe he didn't even work with us but he still has this manifestation in his head that we somehow hurt him." Reid replied.

"We've never had a grieved cop in one of our cases, though." JJ replied. Although she still looked incredibly sad and angry, she also seemed determined. "I mean we've had cops who thought we could have done a better job, but never a cop that seemed to fit the profile of a revenge case."

"What about victims of recent cases?" Reid asked, knitting his eye brows together. "Do any of the cases you guys have worked in the last few weeks have victims or family members with relations to the police force?"

"I'd have to look it up." Hotch answered him. Reid's phone buzzed loudly in his pocket, and the others turned to him expectantly. "Speak of the Devil." Hotch said sarcastically.

Reid grabbed his phone and checked to be sure that it was actually Garcia before he answered. "Hey please tell me you have something."

"Well boy genius, if you want answers, I suggest you let me in first."

OoOoOoOo

A/N: Enjoy! I don't own anything. Boomie out!


	6. Chapter 6

"No way." He hung up the phone and bolted towards the front door, the others calling out for him and asking what was wrong. He threw open the front door.

Nothing.

"I'm over here, goofball." She was here. In a black overcoat, wheeling her pink suitcase behind her through puddles, she was almost unnoticeable in the dark. He didn't even have time to process that it was raining before he cleared all three steps in one jump and practically ran into her arms.

He breathed a sigh of relief into her shoulder, happy to actually see her in person. She was slightly thinner than he remembered, and her hair had started getting longer. Even the way she dressed had changed, instead of her original pinks and purples and oranges, she wore business suit blacks. He didn't even care, though. She was here.

"Woah, okay," She pushed him away lightly. "A girl's gotta breath, doctor."

"God, you look so different and yet," he gestured to her "you're you."

"Wow, you sure know how to flatter a girl." She slapped his shoulder playfully.

"Penelope?" Hotch had come out the front door, and was just standing there on the steps, looking confused.

"Hey boss." She gave a little halfhearted wave. He descended the stairs and came over to her. When he hugged her, it was almost as bone-crushing as Reid's, which surprised her in a good way.

"I didn't know Reid called you in."

"After he told me was that Henry went missing, I called myself in." She replied quietly, expression turning sad. "I needed to be here. Speaking of, we should head inside. I think I found something important."

"Of course." The boys led her up to the front door and into the foyer, where she was almost immediately engulfed in a hug from Emily.

"How is my favorite Italian beauty?" Rossi's arms opened wide, a devilish smile on his face. He kissed both of her cheeks and rested his hands on her shoulders. "How was your flight?"

"Long and very-" Penelope froze when she saw JJ, who had just come out of the kitchen to see what all of the fuss was about. One look and she knew that JJ was in her own private hell. Her face was pale and gaunt, her eyes rimmed red. She looked so sunken in "Oh my girl."

"Pen." JJ's reply was desperate, like some dam inside her had broken. She practically fell into Penelope's arms and began crying softly into her shoulder.

When Henry had first been born, Penelope had practically been at JJ's every beck and call. When JJ needed a night of decent sleep, Penelope would take Henry to her place. Penelope was almost as much a mother to Henry as JJ was. So JJ knew that, if anyone could understand how she felt, it was Garcia.

"Garcia?" She knew that chocolatey voice like she knew the back of her hand. She pulled away from JJ slightly to look at him. However, judging by the hurt look on his face, he wasn't as happy to see her as she was him. The tension in the air was thick, neither of them saying a word-just looking at one another.

"Hey Penelope you left your passport in the-" Caroline froze when she entered the foyer, sensing the thick tension that lingered. The others turned towards her, confused looks on their faces at the stranger who had just arrived. She remained there, eyes wide, for a split second until Penelope looked her way.

"Oh hey." Penelope separated herself from the group and came to stand in front of her partner, who was still eyeing the members of the BAU with curiosity. "Thanks." Penelope took her passport from her partner. "Guys, this is Caroline, my friend and CIA partner. Caroline, this is the team."

The other blonde seemed to relax a bit. "Hey." She looked sideways at Garcia. "Did you tell them?"

"Tell us what?" Hotch frowned.

"I think I may have found the guy."

OoOoOoO

"So, brownie points to Reid for forwarding all of the security footage for me to look at. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have made the connection about him being a cop without some help." Garcia had been ushered into the dining room, where she was in the process of opening her laptop. Reid stood from where he was plugging in the charging cord and gave the blonde a smile. "I wasn't able to get a photo I.D. off of the security footage because the guy was facing away from the camera. And please don't hate me, but I wasn't able to get any distinguishing features off of his blues." She began typing, entering into her system. "Don't look so defeated my loves. I do have something of value. So, I went ahead and searched employment records for every police station between here and the West coast."

"Geez, Penelope." Emily breathed.

"It was a long flight, mon ami." Pen replied with a smirk. "Anyhoo, I got six matches for anyone who was missing from work for the dates. I assumed that he arrived on Wednesday, which means he would be missing from work Thursday, Friday, and today."

"Did you find anything?" Reid asked which earned him a glare.

"Of course I did. Eugene, Oregon." Garcia replied, satisfied.

"Oregon? What's he doing here?" Emily asked, placing her hands on either side of Garcia's shoulders.

"Patience, my dark haired beauty, I'm getting there." She patted Emily's hand. "So the guy's name is Gerald Saunders. He's thirty, white, and currently he has very little family to speak of. Now, before you ask, I did some digging. Gerald Saunders has been having a rough few weeks, missing work, his nephew died-"

"What does he want with my son?" JJ's voice was harsh.

"That's what I was having trouble with. I called Kevin Lynch, who is still at Quantico, by the way. He said that the last case you guys took on in Oregon was six months ago and it was a hundred miles away from Eugene. That is when my beautiful plane companion gave me a brilliant idea." She gestured to Caroline, who had a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.

"Well?" Hotch encouraged her.

"Well," Caroline suddenly felt a bit nervous about being involved, especially since what she was going to say made it seem like she doubted them. "I just asked Garcia if there were any case where you guys may have failed to catch the guy."

"But there aren't any cases that we have failed?" Emily replied. "At least not that I know of."

"That was my assumption as well." Garcia interjected. "But then I began thinking about cases that maybe you guys didn't take. So back to Kevin. Kevin. Yeah, turns out that there was a case in Eugene, Oregon two weeks ago that came across JJ's desk but was never taken."

"Oh my god." JJ spoke up, eyes wide. "I remember that case."

"JJ?" Will gazed at her, concerned.

"It was a child abduction case." The words made the room go cold. Everyone was watching her, frozen into unmoving blocks of ice. "I picked a serial rapist in Milwaukee instead."

"JJ, I'm not sure if you want to hear this next part." Garcia broke the silence, voice soft and worried.

"I want to hear."

"JJ come on-" Will tried to get her to stand up, maybe even leave the room, but she didn't budge.

"I want to hear." Her voice wavered. She kept her fists clenched on the table so tight that her knuckles began to turn white. Will took her hands in his and began unclenching them. He nodded at Penelope.

"Okay, three children, one boy and two girls were all abducted from a park in Eugene, Oregon. By the time the cops finally got a lead, the story had been leaked to the media. All three kids were found murdered in an abandoned house just outside of the city, along with their killer, who had committed suicide." Penelope halted a brief moment, letting that sink in. JJ looked like she was about to break in half. A tear snaked its way down her cheek, and she drew in on herself, folding her arms across her chest.

"He was working that case." Rossi spoke the realization that they all came to.

"Yes. But he had to be removed from the task force because of a personal connection. His nephew, who he was in the process of adopting, was the little boy who was killed. Both of the boy's parents died in a car accident when he was eighteen months old. And get this, I went through his financials-he bought a plane ticket to DC for Thursday morning."

"We got him. Garcia has he-"

"I just sent you the address of the hotel he checked into." She cut Hotch off with a flourish of her keyboard.

"Fantastic. Rossi, Emily and I will go check it out. The rest of you, stay here. We'll let you know what we find." Hotch, Emily, and Rossi bolted out the front doors, leaving the others in quiet. Penelope remained glued to her screen, digging her way through Gerald's life.

"Does Gerald have any family or friends on this side of the country?" Reid looked at her screen from over her shoulder.

"No. Most of his family is on the West coast, as are all of his friends. He does have a few distant cousins here up in New Yok but nothing close by." She replied distractedly.

"I hate sitting here and knowing there's nothing I can do." JJ shook her head.

"JJ, you need to keep a level head, and being here is the best way to do that." Morgan spoke up for the first time from where he leaned against the door frame. "None of this was your fault, you realize that, right?"

She nodded halfheartedly, but she wasn't so convinced.

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry for the delay I basically went through and completely changed the ending plus some other bits. Oh and btw, shout out to my new followers. Thanks so much for following along and being awesome. I'm not rich so I guess I don't own anything. Love you! -Boomie out!


	7. Chapter 7

When they pulled into the hotel, it was close to midnight. The clerk on desk duty was bleary eyed and barely lifted his head from the desk that he had been napping on. He seemed to wake up a bit when they showed their badges.

"We're looking for Gerald Saunders. Has he been here the last few nights?" Hitch held up a picture on his phone that Garcia had sent.

"Yeah I recognize him. He was just here not too long ago. He checked out of his room." The clerk yawned widely and began typing something into his computer. "I can get you his room key if you'd like, but the cleaning ladies have already been through it." He grabbed the set up master keys from behind the desk and put the _Back In Five Minutes_ sign on the desk.

He led them to a room on the second floor-226-and unlocked the door for them. As the clerk had mentioned, the room was clean. Nothing was out of place.

"Did the man have a child with him?" Hotch turned back towards the clerk, who thought for a moment.

"No, he didn't. But he mentioned that he was visiting his nephew." You could hear their breath catch in the ensuing moments. Hotch pulled out his phone, face going dark.

"Garcia, we need you."

"Go."

"Saunders mentioned to the hotel clerk that he was visiting his nephew while he was here. We think he may be figuring out an endgame." He gestured for the others to follow him out to the parking lot as he spoke. "How many abandoned homes are there near the DC and Quantico areas?"

"We're talking almost a hundred, sir, I need more info." She replied urgently.

"He is obsessed with the case that killed his nephew. He wants to mimic the circumstances of that case. This is all about making JJ suffer as much as he did." Rossi thought out loud.

"Give me a second to skim over the case file." There was a rustle of paper and a moment of silence. "The boys were found in a house that was only a few blocks from the park where the boys were abducted." The determination and relief could be heard Reid's voice could be heard from over the speaker.

"So look for the number of abandoned or empty houses near JJ's neighborhood." Hotch knew he was being demanding, but they were so close that he couldn't afford to waste any time.

"That's five. Only one of them is completely taken off the market, though. I just sent the address to your phones."

"Garcia, you are a goddess." Hotch signed off and the three of them got back in the suburban.

OoOoOoO

Her foot tapped nervously under the table, eyes fixed on the computer screen, but her hands remained useless on the table.

"There's nothing more you can do. Not until they call us back." Morgan was speaking to her for the first time since she had gotten there. Up until that moment, he had been silent and brooding. It wasn't until he broke the silence that she realized that they were completely alone. JJ, Will and Reid had vacated to the back porch for some air, and Caroline had gone out to get food for everyone.

"I know." She sighed. "But this is the part I hate most…waiting."

He nodded but said nothing, which frustrated her to no end. The quiet between them was buzzing with tension.

"Look, if you have something to say, just say it." She recoiled at the harsh tone of her own voice. "I'm sorry." She followed it up with a groan and put her head in her hands.

"No, I'm sorry." She jerked her head up at him, surprised that the stubborn hunk would ever admit he was wrong. He shook his head, looking defeated. "I was a jerk to you. Not answering your calls was a bit childish."

She stood for the first time in an hour. Stretching her legs, she came over and rested her hand on her arm. "I did try. But as time went on it just felt like everyone had gone their own way." Her voice was quiet and sad. "It got to the point where the only person I was keeping in touch with regularly was JJ."

He smiled in spite of himself and placed his arm around her shoulders, drawing her into his side. "I missed you, baby girl."

"I missed you, too." She rested her head on his shoulder and they stood there, both lost in different thoughts. The tension that had been there before still lingered, and she wondered why. Typically when they had an argument, which were few and far between, everything was solved by them apologizing. This was different. She couldn't place her finger on it.

OoOoOoO

Hotch froze for a split second, before finally letting himself get out of the car. In all honesty, he was terrified of going into the house. He was scared at what he might find.

Finally, he got out of the Suburban and traipsed through the rain to quietly meet the other three. "Emily, around back. David, with me."

"What about back up?" Emily hissed, looking at the two men.

"It's on its way but we can't wait. We need to go now." Hotch urged. She nodded, trusting his judgement, and went between the cars towards the back of the house. Rossi and Aaron made their way quietly to the front door, which was locked. Hotch delivered a harsh kick that send the door flying open with a sharp crack.

"Gerald Saunders, FBI!" There was no reply to Hotch's harsh call. With fear weighing on his mind, he surveyed the living room, and then made his way to the empty kitchen. Rossi had just entered the back patio and was checking out the back master bedroom when Hotch noticed the only door in the place that was shut. He hesitated, before barreling through it so hard that the wooden door went flying off it's hinges.

He was there.

Curled into the fetal position, eyes closed peacefully, like he was asleep. Hotch surged forward and placed two fingers on Henry's neck, checking for a pulse.

"We need a medic." Hotch spoke into his com. It was faint, but there was a pulse.

"The house is clear." Rossi entered the room and found Hotch knelt down, hovering over the little boy. "Oh no."

"He's alive. Medic is on its way. Anything out back?"

"No." Emily entered, followed by two EMTs carrying a stretcher. They got the little boy onto it and ushered him out of the room, calling out vital signs as they did so.

"Emily, go with him. Make sure he doesn't wake up alone." Emily nodded and left the room, following the techs out to the ambulance.

"Rossi, get crime scene units in here. I'm gonna go call JJ." Hotch didn't even wait to see Rossi's affirmation before he stormed out of the room, phone in hand. To say he was pissed was an understatement. He had hoped desperately that they would find Gerald. Now, they had no clue where he was and a sick kid.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. They found Henry. That's all that mattered. He dialed Reid and held his breath, waiting.

OoOoOoO

"It's Hotch." He held up his phone to his ear. Like a beacon, it drew everyone in around the table. A beautiful and tormented hope rose in each of them. "You're on speaker."

"We found Henry. He's okay." His statement was so outright that it took them a moment to process what he had said. JJ reacted quickest, locking Will in a bone crushing hug. Morgan put his hands on Garcia's shoulders reassuringly. Reid let out a rush of air, feeling some of the anxiety of the last eighteen hours leave his body.

"What about Gerald?" Morgan questioned. There was hesitation on the other end of the phone.

"No sign of him. CSU is combing through the house now hoping to find something useful. Henry was rushed to the hospital. We think he may have been drugged somehow. I sent the address to Garcia. Emily is with him now."

"We'll be there soon." Reid clicked off the call and they all just sat there a moment, looking completely and utterly relieved.

OoOoOoO

A/N: Awwww I had fun writing that. Anyways the story isn't over yet. I have gotten a lot of questions in the reviews and I promise that I plan on answering them in the story, you just have to be patient. One other thing. I mentioned this before but I'll say it again. Caroline's role is not huge in this story. She's more there for moral support, because I hate it when an OC takes over a story. You will find out a bit more about her role in the next chapter, so have patience. I have had almost a thousand viewers for this story, and I gotta say i'm flattered that you would take time to read my story. I am not a very good writer, so just know i'm trying my hardest.

Anyhoo, i'm stepping off my soapbox I don't own anything. Boomie out.


	8. Chapter 8

It was close to 3 am before she felt the exhaustion settle into her bones.

Despite having a fourteen hour flight, she hadn't slept a wink, the events of the day making her anxious and jittery. Now that everything had settled, Garcia could feel the drowsiness behind her eyelids.

All of them had taken up the waiting room, allowing JJ and Will to be alone with their son. Reid sat in a corner chair, head tilted back and sound asleep. Emily and Morgan talked softly on the couch. Hotch paced, as per usual. Rossi and Garcia shared the second couch and Caroline had left the room to take a phone call.

They barely stirred when Will came in, looking just as tired as the rest of them. "You guys should head out and get some rest. We can get this son of a bitch tomorrow."

They all stood slowly, not protesting his suggestion that they head out. Emily shook Reid gently to wake him up.

"Thank you, by the way." Will's gratitude showed on his face. "For finding my son."

There were nods and smiles amongst the group. Hotch shook his hand and patted him on the shoulder, and then followed the group out into the chilly night air.

"What's the plan boss?"

Hotch sighed and thought for a moment. "I hate to do this to you all, but we need to be back at the BAU at nine. I don't want this asshat having a lead on us." He answered Morgan.

"I put out his name. He's on every 'No Fly' list that's out there." Penelope smiled a little, surprised and amused at his curse. "We all need sleep." She glared at Hotch, mostly because she knew he would be the one to head to the office and work until past dawn.

"You're right. Garcia, Reid, Morgan, you guys are welcome to head back to your respective locations. I don't want you all facing any more repercussions now that we are close to getting him." There was a stillness in the air, like the rest of the group was waiting for their reply.

Reid glanced at his friends and tightened his jaw. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that we don't plan on going anywhere." Morgan and Garcia nodded without hesitation.

"Okay. I'll see you all in the morning." He nodded to Emily and Rossi and the trio made their way to one of the cars that was parked on the street.

"Penelope." Caroline spoke up, getting her partner's attention. Garcia noticed the look on her friend's face and recognized it. It was worry mixed with anxiety. They were in trouble.

Penelope left the small group now on the sidewalk and the two girls stepped away, just out of earshot. "What is it?"

"I got a call from the boss about an hour ago. He wants to meet us in D.C first thing Wednesday morning."

"Oh god." Penelope stuffed her hands in her coat pockets. "We're in so much trouble."

"Well we high jacked a government plane without permission and have essentially been missing for twenty four hours." The two blondes looked at one another and suddenly burst into fits of laughter. "We are so screwed."

Garcia didn't understand why she was laughing so hard, but the idea of giving a giant middle finger to the CIA was something that could only be hilarious at three o'clock in the morning.

"What are we gonna do?" Garcia replied between chuckles.

"Oh god I have no idea." Their laughter began to recede, leaving them in an awkward silence.

"This is totally my fault, isn't it?" Penelope's face fell. "I mean it's your job to make sure I don't do anything stupid and here we are, doing something stupid."

"Pen, I don't think helping your family is something stupid." Caroline smiled at her reassuringly. "And it's my job to make sure that you have back up, which I think I did successfully. It's all gonna be okay."

Pen nodded and put her arm around her younger friend, and the two began walking towards the boys.

The drive to the hotel was quiet, only the hum of the car engines breaking the silence. Reid dozed off once more and had to be woken softly by Penelope when they reached their destination. She hesitated though, because he looked so innocent.

"Hey, time to head in." She rested a hand on his shoulder and he stirred sleepily. Once he was up, she slid out of her seat and went around the front of car to meet the other two.

"Let's meet out here at 8:30. That'll give us at least a little bit of sleep." Reid yawned, coming to join them.

"I don't know if I'm gonna be able to sleep." Morgan stuffed his hands in his pockets. "At least until this things over."

"We have to try. I have a feeling tomorrow's gonna be a long day." Caroline replied, folding her arms across her chest. "We should head up, Pen."

Penelope nodded and the group made to head up into the hotel, that is, until she noticed that Morgan was no longer following. He had turned down the sidewalk, like he was headed somewhere. "You guys go ahead. I'll be up in a minute."

She left them to fend for themselves and jogged lightly to catch up with Morgan, who seemed to be lost in thought.

"Hey, what's going on in that pretty head of yours?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He slowed down a bit so she could walk with him.

"Just not ready to sleep yet." He replied dismissively.

"Hey," she grabbed his arm and forced him to stop and look at her, "Derek, what is going on? You've been brooding for hours."

"Nothing's wrong." He tried to be nonchalant, but she put her hands on her hips and he realized he couldn't hide from her.

"Derek Morgan, don't you lie to me." She sighed with irritaton. "You're still mad, aren't you? About me leaving?"

He looked down at his feet. "I'm not angry. Not about that, anyway."

"Then what?" She was practically pleading with him. "Because if I've done something to make you angry, then-"

"You left, Penelope!" Finally, he blurted it out harshly. He felt irritated, conflicted, worried, and she was glad he was finally getting it out of his system. Still, however, it pained her heart that she was the cause of this.

"That's what this is about? After five years, you're still pissed off that I left the team?" She fought to keep her own voice from rising.

"You think this is about the team?" He was pissed off now, and honestly it kind of scared her. Thankfully, there was no one around to hear him vent. "You were my best friend, Penelope. So…yeah..I felt a little betrayed."

"Betrayed? Derek, how is me leaving for my own sanity a betrayal to you?" She poked his chest, _hard._ He was starting to piss off the technical genius.

He hesitated then, suddenly unsure of what to say. "Forget it." He blew her off, and began walking down the sidewalk.

"Uh, no." She caught up with him and stood in his way so he couldn't get by. "I am not going to have you storming off because, guess what Derek Morgan, that's childish." He opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off. "I did what I thought was best for myself and my mental health. I decided that I didn't want to spend my days fighting insomnia and watching the aftermath of murders. So yeah, I left. And if you have a problem with that, then maybe you should pull your head out of your ass and talk to me about it like an adult."

"Penelope-"

"And here's another thing." She wasn't done yet, not by a long shot. This is crap that she had kept in her head since he stopped returning her calls. "I asked you to look after them." His eyes went wide, his heart dropping to his knees. "Instead, you ran away to New York to hide from your feelings, just like you do with EVERYTHING ELSE. So if ANYONE should feel betrayed between the two of us, it should be me."

Her chest was heaving, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. He just looked at her, shock evident on his face. She had never blown up like this, not to anyone. He still felt angry, but that was quickly being replaced by shame. Now that she had vented, she was beginning to feel a bit lighter in her chest.

"Talk to me." Her plea was quiet, a stark contrast from what her voice had been a few seconds before. "'Cause I can't lose you."

He had a million words, a million thoughts running through his head, but fear was a barrier holding them back. Fear of how she'd react, or what she'd do. Even fear that it wouldn't change a damn thing. "Pen-" He broke off, not sure what the right words were. It felt like his body was out of his control.

He was kissing her before he even realized he had moved.

At first, she froze, unsure what to do. Should she pull away, or lean into it? But god his hands were warm where they cupped her cheeks. There were no butterflies, because his muscular body that was so close felt like calm and home and she didn't want to pull away.

And yet she did.

The two stared at one another, wide-eyed. Their hearts pounded in their chests. Both of them were unwilling to make the first move and pull away.

Penelope felt her heart tearing in her chest, because god he was her home but home was dangerous. Home meant everything changed, and their relationship was never going to be the same. The thought scared her. The idea of forever scared her.

She took a step back. "I have to go."

She knew she was hurting him by walking away, but she was afraid and still a little bit angry. She needed time to think.

She didn't know walking away would leave him feeling empty.

OoOoOoO

A/N: I suck at writing kissing scenes...sorry if that was awkward. I don't own anything. Boomie out.


	9. Chapter 9

To say he was conflicted was an understatement.

Derek ran a hand over his shaven head and sat up, noting how early it was. He had only gotten three hours of sleep, but he was wide awake. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and got up quietly. After rifling through his clothes, he grabbed a shirt and a pair of pants, intent on going for a run.

When he was a kid, playing football was the way he blew off steam when he was angry and de-stress when he was sad. As he got older, that was how he controlled his temper, by working out and running. So, it only made sense to go for a run now.

After he got his tennis shoes laced up, he grabbed his phone and room key and left. Surprisingly, he found Reid in the lobby.

"Hey, kid." He ruffled the genius' hair. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep." He was frowning at a cup of coffee in his hands. "This coffee is awful."

"I'll grab us some while I'm out." Morgan chuckled. Reid smiled gratefully, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Morgan came around and sat in the arm chair next to his younger friend.

"You've been oddly resigned in all of this. What's going on in that head of yours?" The question made Reid knit his eyebrows together.

"I don't know." He shrugged, not meeting Derek's eyes. "It's gonna' be hard to leave."

"You're not staying here?"

"You are?" Reid finally looked at him.

"Well, I mean, I've thought about it." Morgan stammered out, shrugging.

"You know she won't be here." Without even mentioning her name, Reid set Morgan on edge. "Will you leave again?" His reply was harsh, which made Derek lean back a bit.

"Kid I-"

"Look, it's been five years. I've moved on. I don't want to be dragged back through that again." Reid got up to go back to his room, but Morgan stopped him with a tight grip on his arm.

"Look, yes, I left. I left because I didn't see a reason to stay." He recognized the hurt look on the genius' face.

"Not one reason?" Reid pushed past Derek and left him alone in the lobby.

Now he really needed a run.

OoOoOoO

"Hey, Penelope." Caroline knocked on the door and checked her watch. "Pen!"

The door flew open, and a sleepy-looking blonde greeted her.

"You look like hell." Penelope groaned at Caroline's statement and opened the door farther, inviting her in. "Did you sleep?"

"Yes." Penelope groaned. "And no." Her outfit was laid out on the bed, but the woman in particular looked nowhere close to being ready.

"We are meeting them downstairs in five minutes. You need to get ready." Caroline gestured to the clothes. Penelope didn't reply as she vanished into the bathroom. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing happened." Even from another room, Caroline could tell the woman was lying.

"Pen." Caroline gave her best _you're-not-fooling-me_ tone.

Garcia appeared from the bathroom, hair pulled up and make-up done modestly. She looked at her friend with a sense of dread and began dressing.

"Derek kissed me." The statement hung in the empty air for a moment as Garcia pulled her shirt over her head.

Caroline watched her fix her shirt with wide eyes. "He did?"

"Yeah."

"What's the problem with that?" Caroline leaned against the wall. "I thought you liked him?"

"I do but," Garcia pulled her jeans up and buttoned them. "not like that. At least, I didn't think I did. And then he kissed me and now I'm all messed up inside."

"Why?"

"Because he's my best friend." Pen felt tears prickle her eyelids. "Or at least he was. But what are we supposed to do now? I can't ever look at him the same way again."

"Then don't." Penelope looked surprised at her friend's reply. "Look, you obviously have feelings for him. I can tell just by looking at you. So what is it that makes you so scared to come to terms with that?"

Garcia thought for a moment as she grabbed her phone and keys. Caroline was right. Denying she had feelings for him was practically impossible now that they had kissed. Had she really convinced herself in her time at the BAU that she didn't feel something for him? Looking back on it, she wondered how many others had known how she felt when she herself didn't.

"I don't know." She shrugged feeling pathetic. "What if it ruins everything in our friendship?"

"And what if it doesn't?" Caroline replied, folding her arms across her chest. She caught a glimpse of her watch. "Look, we really need to go."

Pen nodded and grabbed her coat. After making sure the door was locked behind them, they got onto the elevators to head down to meet the others.

"Can I ask you something?" Pen kept her head straightforward, looking at her friend from the corner of her eye.

"Anything."

"How did you know Alex was the one?" The question surprised Caroline, who looked at her friend with eyebrows raised.

"I guess," she thought for a moment, "I realized that he was my home." The statement was so simple that it made Penelope knit her eyebrows together. "He was my best friend, you know? Before we even started dating, we spent every second together. I was the idiot who took too long to realize that I was in love with him." She nudged her friend as the elevator doors opened. The two stepped out. "Don't my mistake." She began the walk towards the doors, but Penelope lingered, deep in thought.

OoOoOoO

"Where's Morgan?" Hotch was asking the same question that Penelope and Caroline had when they found Reid alone, waiting for them.

"He said something about going to get coffee." Reid shrugged. "Haven't seen him since seven."

"He probably went for a seven mile run." Emily scoffed, taking a seat in the conference room.

"It was five miles, _actually."_ Speak of the devil. Morgan held two drink holders of coffees, which he began passing out.

"You're slacking, Derek." She shook her head good naturedly as he sat her coffee in front of her.

"Now I remembered why I liked you." Rossi chuckled as his latte was set in front of him. Morgan smiled as he set Penelope's drink down as well, but it didn't reach his eyes. He was pissed.

The humor of the moment was broken when JJ came sprinting into the conference room, still in her sweatpants from the night before. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" asked Reid. JJ grabbed the remote from the center of the table and turned on the television.

 _"A family outing was disturbed early this morning, when twin girls, Christine and Hailey Holson disappeared from their neighborhood park. We don't know many details yet, but an amber alert has been issued for the D.C area. Police are encouraging anyone with information to call this hotline."_

A number flashed across the screen. They turned to one another, shock evident on their faces.

"What the hell?" Emily's sigh seemed to echo among the quiet room.

"We're taking the case, right?" JJ looked to Hotch, pleading. "Please telling me we're taking it."

"Rossi, get in touch with D.C police. Get them to invite-"

"I'll do it." JJ spoke up, folding her arms across her chest. Her jaw was tight, eyes determined.

"No, you haven't slept and you need to be with your son." His reply was curt.

"I can do paperwork from home." She insisted. "I can't sit by while this asshole runs free." She pleaded.

Hotch thought for a moment, before finally conceding. "I want you to stay home. You're too emotionally involved to be in the field."

She nodded, understanding, and left the conference room to head to her office and grab paperwork to take home.

"We need to look at this as a kidnapping. I understand that we are all emotionally invested, but I will not allow any irrational behavior in the field, you got that?"

The others nodded, understanding the gravity of what Hotch was telling them.

"Then let's get started."

OoOoOoO

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I wasn't sure how else to do it. I don't own anything. Boomie out


	10. Chapter 10

"Is Henry still at the hospital?" Penelope sat at the round table, eyes staring through her glasses intently at her computer screen. She had cast aside her coat, feeling suffocated under the layers.

"Yes." Hotch replied. "Will you send a protective detail over there? And to the house, too? It wouldn't surprise me if he tried to go back for the boy."

"Already on it." She affirmed. "You really think he would go directly to the hospital? Even when so many people are onto him?"

"He's desperate, Penelope. At this point, he's not thinking logically." Reid replied, case file open in his hand. He was frowning over it, trying to get any kind of clue or hint from the previous case.

"Emily, Caroline, and Morgan are on their way to talk to the parents. Hopefully, they can give us some insight into what happened." Replied Rossi.

"What do we do until then?" Penelope asked.

"I want to get a list of all the children in the area. Grab school and medical records, anything you can find." Hotch looked to Garcia. "How many names are there?"

She typed, frowned, and looked at him funny. "Waaaay too many. I need to narrow it down."

"We are looking for boys between the ages of five and seven." Reid looked up from his file. "The little boy who was killed, he was seven. Henry is six."

"Still a lot." She grumbled.

"We aren't going to be able to find a small group, not with those parameters." Rossi rubbed a hand along his chin.

"What about anyone who lives close to a public park?" Reid looked up again. "That's where the first three kids were abducted from."

"You know what I don't get?" Garcia, Hotch, and Reid all looked at Rossi. "The first three kids abducted were all taken within seconds of each other, on the same day and from the same place."

"What's on your mind?" Hotch replied.

"He wouldn't have been able to control three kids on his own, not without some kind of help. Even if he had drugged them, there's no way he would have been able to do it without making some kind of noise."

They all pondered it a moment.

"It also makes sense why he didn't take a boy when he stopped to get the girls. He wouldn't have been able to control them all at once, not without a partner." Hotch replied.

"And since they are twins, he probably exploited that. Usually one twin wouldn't go without the other." Reid finished.

"So, who is the partner? And what is he getting out of this?" Hotch's question sent them into silence.

OoOoOoO

"We should have been there." Susan Holson sat at her dining room, arms folded across her chest. Tears coated her cheeks, and lines of mascara lay heavily under her eyes. Her husband sat next to her, clutching her hand for dear life.

"Mrs. Holson, this is not your fault." Emily reached out and rested her hand tentatively on the woman's clenched fist. "I know this is hard, but we need to ask you some questions." The woman gave her a watery nod. "Did the girls usually go to the park by themselves?"

"Normally we would try to go with them." John, the husband, answered. "Occasionally if we were close to being ready, we'd let them go on ahead and meet them there when we were done."

"Do they have any friends that they play with regularly?"

"A few. But the girls are so close. They are their own best friends." Susan replied, sniffling. "That's why I thought they'd be okay if they went together.

"Have you noticed anyone new paying a little too much attention to your daughters?"

The question sent Susan sobbing, shaking her head vigorously.

"Take some time. We'll give you a break." Susan thanked Emily and began sobbing into John's shoulder. Emily took the opportunity to get a breath of fresh air and meet Morgan and Caroline in the driveway.

"Anything new?"

"No. She says there's been nothing odd lately. Anything from the park?"

"Totally clean." He replied. "They can't find anything out of the ordinary."

"You think maybe he lured them before they got to the park? They walk the main roads to get there." Caroline suggested with a shrug.

"He could have. He has a badge. They'd trust him. I'll call Garcia and see if there are any neighborhood video cameras." She pulled out her phone. "Hey girlie. Are there any security cameras in this neighborhood?"

"Yeah, a few. I'll see what I can get off of them." Garcia spoke over speakerphone. "Hey, stay on the line a sec."

"We think the original killer may have had a partner." Hotch's voice could be heard. "The three children were abducted within seconds. There was no way he could do it by himself without causing a scene."

"So one istracts while the other drugs?" Morgan frowned. "But how did they get the kids close enough to their getaway vehicle without being spotted by at least someone."

"Maybe a lure?" Reid asked, question in his voice.

"Oh my god." Emily's eyes went wide as realization spread across her face.

"What is it?" Caroline asked.

"Hotch, do you remember that case we worked when Strauss came along?" Emily asked urgently.

"The case with the kid?" Morgan frowned. And then what she was implying dawned on him. "Oh my god, Hotch, he is the partner."

"What do you mean?" Hotch asked incredulously.

"What's going on?" Caroline frowned, looking between the two of them.

"People would notice if a cop suddenly tried to lure two young girls away from a park, but nobody would bat an eye if they were being led away by another kid." Morgan responded. There was a moment of complete silence.

"It is too much of a coincidence that the nephew of a cop would be pulled into a kidnapping investigation. When the media got ahold of the story, Gerald panicked. He goes to where his partner is keeping the girls, and kills them all." Emily tried to get him in line with their thoughts.

"Including his nephew, who's a witness." Morgan finished. "Have Garcia do a background check on him, see if he has any prior offenses regarding young girls. Even cases that may have been dropped."

"Will do." He clicked off.

"He would also be angry, and intent on finishing what he started, even more so if he had other plans for the little girls past what he had already done." Emil said as they headed towards their car.

"So he's trying to recreate it?" Caroline climbed in the back seat. "But why JJ's son?"

"If the BAU had gone in on the case, he probably thinks he would have gotten away with it. But since we weren't there to control media coverage, he blames us." Morgan backed out of the driveway. Despite the severity of the situation, he seemed rather calm.

"But, that doesn't make sense." Caroline replied, confusion in her voice.

"Doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but the unsub." Morgan replied.

"Ain't that the truth." Caroline huffed and looked out the window as they drove. "Terrorists and serial killers have that in common."

"Is that what you do?" Emily looked over her shoulder. "Hunt terrorists?" She smiled in spite of the situation.

"Sorta." She shrugged. "I mean, we don't trek after them with guns. We're more like bounty hunters behind screens."

"Doesn't sound so fun." Morgan flicked on the sirens and the coasted down the street.

"It can be tiring. You get homesick easily."

The drive to the BAU was made with tense silence after that. When they got to the roundtable room, the energy between them all seemed to jump.

"You were right, gorgeous. He has a record." Penelope announced as Emily walked in. "It was expunged, which is probably how he was able to join the police department. When he was thirteen, a girl claimed that he was spying on her in the girl's locker room, but she never testified in court. Then when he was sixteen, a girl claimed that he sexually assaulted her at a party, but nothing ever came of it because she was too afraid to press charges."

"Does he have any family?" Hotch pressed.

"His mother lives in Oregon. He had a sister, but she and her husband died in a car accident, leaving him to care for his nephew. The brother-in-law was a childhood friend, they used to go on trips, go to the beach. He was an all-around good guy. I can't really find much on his dad." Garcia fired back.

"Were there any indicators of abuse, domestic or otherwise, in the house?" She didn't look up from her screen, because the sound of Morgan's voice made her tense. His curt tone and anger were evident. She pushed past her uneasiness and typed quickly into the database.

"There were a few calls to the house for domestic disturbance, but the police never found anything solid. Umm…" She frowned and leaned in as she read. "he was admitted to the hospital a few times," she paused and slumped in her chair, looking defeated, "and there were signs of abuse."

"When did his father leave?" Emily asked.

"When…..when he was seven." Penelope sighed. "Same age as Colin, his nephew."

"That was his trigger. When Colin turned seven, he began seeing himself in his nephew and-"

"Oh my god." Garcia was staring wide eyed at something on her monitor.

"What is it?" Morgan leaned in, looking over her shoulder. His proximity caught her off guard, and she struggled for words.

"S-so, I decided to try my hand at profiling, ya know, cause why not?" She stammered. "I figured there must have been a trigger, maybe something small. I found a case file from 1986. A little girl went missing from a local park. She was also found dead in an abandoned house and get this-Gerald was seven. They found Gerald's father dead in the next room."

"That was his trigger. When Colin turned seven, he must have realized that he was turning into a younger version of himself. I bet if we dig, we can find medical records on Colin that support abuse." Reid replied.

"Garcia, does Gerald's father have any connection to Virginia or D.C?" Rossi asked.

"Umm, no. No connection. I've also looked in to Gerald's family, and none of them do either." Penelope frowned, typing furiously. "But here's something interesting. The brother-in-law, his family had a cabin near Lyndhurst, Virginia. It hasn't been touched in years."

"That's two hours from here." Morgan frowned. "The girls went missing three hours ago. He'd be pushing it but it's an easy drive."

"Penelope, are there any video cameras you can look at?" Rossi came to stand next to her.

"That's over a hundred miles to cover of road. I can see if he got on the interstate but I don't know if I can give you any more than that." She typed furiously, only pausing to push her glasses up her nose.

"Rossi, Emily, and I will head out to the cabin. The rest of you don't have clearance to be in the field, so you'll be staying here. Reid, call JJ and get her up to speed. Caroline, head over to the Holson house. If we find the girls, you'll be in charge of driving the parents to meet us." Hotch barked out his orders and then left the three of them to their own devices.

oOoOoOo

A/N: Hey Guys! Sorry for the late update! Thanks for being awesome readers. I own nothing! -Boomie out


	11. Chapter 11

After a brief call to JJ, the room went quiet.

And man things were tense.

Reid was still angry with Morgan, who was still upset with Penelope. Penelope was still conflicted about Morgan, and really had no clue what was wrong with Reid. So when the silence ensued between the trio, the pot threatened to over-flow.

Reid tried to read his book, but he found himself rereading the same lines twenty times without actually retaining anything.

"Ok look, can we just stop this." Garcia finally got fed up. She turned towards the boys and glared at them from where they stood, on opposite sides of the room from one another. They both jerked up, surprised at her outburst. "I understand that you guys are pissed that I left and whatnot, but throwing death glares around isn't going to solve the problem. So start talking it out."

She looked at both of them individually.

"I broke my promise." Morgan sighed, speaking first. Reid looked up, surprised. "I told Penelope that I would look after you, and I didn't. That's on me."

"I didn't know you promised that." Reid replied softly, anger falling from his face. He just looked confused, like a child.

"I made him." Garcia smiled. "Reid, I think of you as my brother. I couldn't leave knowing that you were gonna be alone." He smiled finally, meeting her eyes.

"I guess things just didn't feel right when you guys left. It just felt…dull." All three of them chuckled quietly, and most of the tension seemed to fade from the room. "SO when they offered me a teaching job, I just kinda' ran with it." He looked at his shoes. "I miss the BAU, though. Boston is nice, but it's not home."

"Same here." Morgan looked at the both of them and sighed. "I really want to come back."

The statement didn't surprise either of them. Spencer and Penelope looked briefly at one another.

"I am going to get some coffee." Spencer could tell just by watching that the two needed a moment to talk in private. Once he was gone, Pen got up from her chair and came over to hug Morgan…tightly.

It took a second, but he unfroze and wrapped his arms around her, enjoying her proximity. His warmth was comforting, like her favorite blanket as a child. Just a hug calmed her nerves.

"I'm sorry." She breathed. "I didn't want to hurt you."

He didn't reply for a moment. "I shouldn't have done it, baby girl." She felt happy at the use of her favorite nickname, but conflicted at his statement. Was he regretting kissing her? Was she regretting it?

"I guess…I was just afraid." She shrugged, pulling away a bit. He still held her, but not as close. "I didn't want anything to change."

He frowned. "Why not?"

"I-I don't know." She shrugged. "Because we had a really great thing. But what happens if we pursue _this_ " she pointed back and forth between the two of them," and find out that it doesn't work."

"Penelope Garcia, I have been in love with you since I first called you Baby Girl." He replied in his sassy voice, and she stared at him wide-eyed. "If that hasn't changed in all this time, then I doubt it will in the future."

"You love me?" She asked, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. Now she was teasing him. He chuckled and rested his hand on her cheek.

"Well it's a good thing you're not a profiler. Isn't that obvious?" She swatted his arm playfully. Still, he drew her closer. This time, she actually wanted to kiss him.

So of course, the damn phone rang before she could.

"Dammit." She pulled away, rather reluctantly, and picked up her cell. "What's up chief?"

"We are still a little over an hour out. Any luck with those security feeds?"

She cursed under her breath, having completely forgotten about her job quickly, she scanned over the feeds. "I have him getting onto I-95 south a little over two hours ago. Annnd I also have him on I-64 west. Looks like you're headed in the right direction."

"Thanks." He clicked off. Penelope opened her mouth to say something, but Reid entered with three coffees.

OoOoOoO

Hotch kept his eyes staring intently forward, hands clenching the steering wheel to the point that his knuckles turned white. Despite the fact that the sirens were blaring and he was nearing ninety miles an hour, he still felt like they were moving slowly, stuck in molasses.

"Hey," Rossi looked at him from the passenger seat, "Everything's going to be ok."

The words did little to comfort him, but he forced himself to relax a bit and loosen his grip. He could feel the tension mounting as they got onto I-64 west. With one hand on the wheel, he grabbed his phone from the center console and dialed Penelope on speed dial.

"Garcia, is SWAT on the way to the cabin?"

"Yes, they should be." She responded from the speaker. "I told them to wait a mile out and follow your lead."

"Fantastic."

"Also, one more thing. We got a call on the tip line just a minute ago from a gun store owner near D.C. He said that Gerald came in a few days ago and purchased a .357 Magnum, along with a whole bunch of ammo." The worry was evident in her voice.

"That's not surprising. He probably doesn't plan on making it out of this." Emily replied to her from the back seat.

"Suicide by cop or just plain suicide." Rossi shook his head with a frown, voice going quiet.

"Just come back to me, loves." She replied.

"Always." Hotch smirked and clicked off the call.

The car went silent, at least until Emily murmured "I wish she would stay."

Hotch caught her gaze in the rearview mirror and then looked back to the road, not saying anything.

"Unfortunately, we can't make any of them stay." Rossi replied. He leaned his head back against the seat and watched the world fly by out the window. "Lord knows we could use the genius back here again."

"I'm sick of breaking down doors." Hotch spoke up, the strain on his face lightening up a bit. He even chuckled.

The fleet of SWAT vehicles were unmistakable as they neared the drive to the cabin. Hotch pulled the suburban over so they could meet with the commander. Emily grabbed the bullet proof vests as they exited the car.

"Agent Hotchner?" The guy called from where he stood. He was a burly dude, even under the armor. He held out his hand and the man shook it happily. "What's the plan?"

"We have the advantage of daylight. We need a perimeter so he doesn't try to escape into the woods. I want a soft entry. If we go in hard, he may kill the girls." Hotch insisted. "Emily, take lead. The girls will respond better to a female presence. Dave and I will follow."

"No cars in the driveway-it'll draw to much attention." Rossi threw in. "The drive isn't too long."

"Yes sir." The commander nodded and moved to tell his men the plan. While he did so, Emily gave the boys their vests and they checked their guns at their hips.

Once they were ready to move out, the trio began making the trek down the driveway cautiously. Not a sound could be heard-only the teetering of birds in the barren trees. The three of them kept extremely quiet, barely crunching the leaves underfoot.

The cabin was relatively small, and made of wood (It reminded Hotch a lot of the cabin Gideon owned). He could see four windows on either side of the red front door, but they all seemed to have curtains blocking the view of the outside world. Still, though, they kept to the trees.

A blue Dodge Durango sat in the driveway, obviously a shiny rental. While a squad moved around the back of the house, the trio plus a few men moved towards the front.

Rossi picked the front lock carefully, and Emily moved in first. From there, they branched off. Emily moved into what she thought was the living room, and let out a sigh of relief at what she saw.

She holstered her gun and moved around the couch.

"Hey sweetie." Her voice was quiet and soothing. One of the twins jerked at the sound of her voice, tear-stained cheeks glittering in the light from the t.v that played cartoons. "It's okay. I'm with the police." She lifted both her hands, showing that she had put her gun away. "Where did the man go?"

"I d-don't know." She whimpered. "He took Christine. I want my mommy."

"Hotch, I have Hailey." She spoke through her earpiece. "Come on. Let's get you out of here."

Hotch sighed at the announcement that came through his ear piece and began moving through the back of the house towards the shed. He was happy they found Hailey, but his heart felt like it was sinking further into his chest. He only hoped they could find the other one. Several of the SWAT men moved around to flank him so he wasn't moving out there alone. He didn't hesitate once he got to the shed doors.

The wood tore apart with a _crack_ when he delivered a harsh kick.

"Gerald Saunders, let her go." He practically spat towards the young man, who was currently holding Christine to him and brandishing a gun at her throat. The SWAT hesitated at the door.

"You RUINED it!" He screamed at Hotch, spittle flying from his lips. His hair was greasy and unkempt, and dark circles under his eyes contrasted with his pale skin. His brown eyes were wild, like an animal. His hands shook, but he was still in control enough to yank on the girl's hair. Other than her dirty clothing and tear stained cheeks, she looked healthy and well.

"I know." Hotch lowered his gun. "I know what your father did to you. I know how he hurt you."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?" Gerald roared. Christine whimpered in fear.

"I know hurting this girl won't change that." Hotch tried to remain calm, but on the inside he was burning with rage. "Hurting her family won't do you any good."

"SHE TOOK EVERYTHING. THAT BITCH TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME."

"No, she did-"

And then there was a gunshot.

OoOoOoO

The trio jerked when the phone rang on the table.

"Hello?" Penelope grabbed the phone so fast, it was a blur. Reid and Morgan both came to stand on either side of her. "Yes, thank you." She hung up, but continued staring wide-eyed as her friends sent her questioning glances.

"Pen?"

"They found them." She finally smiled slowly, still processing the information. "They're okay. Gerald's dead."

"Oh thank god." Reid sighed with relief, and it seemed the sentiment was mutual.

OoOoOoO

A/N: Aww I liked writing that ending. THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY. I still have at least one chapter left to write, if not two. I don't own anything! Boomie out


	12. Chapter 12

"Hey you." Pen felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and she opened her eyes slowly. JJ perched herself on the armrest of the chair and looked at her friend with a smile.

"Hey." Despite the movement of nurses and regular beeping that reverberated around the hospital corridor, Penelope had still found a way to doze off in the waiting room. It seemed Caroline was feeling the same level of exhaustion, because she had curled up in a chair in the corner, coat draped around her body. Garcia sat up and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "How's Henry?"

"Good. We are taking him home in the morning." A small movement outside the doorway caught Garcia's eye, and she watched Mr. Holson walk past on his way to get something. "The girls will be fine. The Doctor even put them in a room together. He said that besides a few cuts and scrapes, they were okay."

"Where are the others?"

"They went down to the cafeteria." Garcia stood slowly and stretched, back aching from the awkward position she had been in in the chair. She grabbed her coat from the back of the chair. "Hey Garcia?"

"Yeah JJ?" Penelope threw her coat over her arm and waited to see what her friend was going to say.

"Thank you." The liaison bowed her head, and her eyes began to tear up again. Lack of sleep was making her emotional. "I mean coming all this way…I just-"

"Come here." Garcia hugged her friend tightly, and JJ tried to cease her tears as she hugged her back. The two remained clutching one another, afraid that the hug would end too soon. "You are family, you know that?" Penelope pulled away, rather reluctantly.

"I hope she does." Caroline was watching them with a sleepy smile, seemingly woken up at some point in their conversation. "With the number of times that Penelope talks about you guys, I kinda wish you were my family." She got up from her chair and threw her coat on.

"Nothing bad I hope?" JJ scoffed.

"All true." Garcia nudged her friend playfully. She put on her coat as well. "If you need anything, I'll be in town for a few days."

"Really? You don't have to head back yet?" JJ frowned.

Caroline and Garcia glanced a one another, an uncomfortable silence settling in. "It seems our director doesn't like the fact that we left suddenly without warning and took a government owned jet." Caroline grimaced.

JJ hummed in response but said nothing. The girls could practically see the gears turning in her head. She suddenly left them there without a word, eyebrows furrowed, and seemingly on a mission.

"Why do I get the feeling she's planning something?" Caroline leaned over and whispered to Garcia.

"Probably because she is." Penelope shrugged. "Come on, I'm starved." She grabbed ahold of Caroline's arm and pulled her down the hallway towards the elevators so they could head to the cafeteria.

Once down there, they found Rossi, Morgan, Reid, and Emily sitting around a table talking. The Cafeteria was relatively quiet, but it was close to eight at night, so that made sense. Rossi stood and grabbed two seats for the girls so they could all sit together.

"Where's Hotch?" Penelope plopped into the chair, feeling exhausted despite having taken a brief nap. Caroline seemed to feel the same way, because she sighed deeply and leaned back, folding her arms over her chest.

"Gerald pulled a gun on him." Seeing her getting ready to ask, Morgan held up a hand. "He's fine. It grazed his arm. He's upstairs asleep now." Penelope sat back again in relief. "Doctor said we can visit in the morning."

"What about Gerald?" Caroline lowered her phone and looked over to Derek.

"Dead." Derek shook his head wistfully, wishing they would have been able to make him rot in prison. But, he couldn't hurt anyone any longer, and that was a victory he was glad to claim.

"It's unfortunate." Rossi shrugged, and the others looked to him, confused. "I would have liked to see JJ go after the son-of-a-bitch."

"I know I would've liked to kick his ass." Emily chuckled, folding her hands on the table.

"Hey, lady, get in line." Penelope teased.

"I don't think anyone could successfully piss off the BAU and live to tell the tale." Reid looked up from the novel that was sitting on his lap.

A thick silence ensued, all of them retreating back into their heads with questions they didn't want to ask out loud, for fear that it would break the happiness of the moment. It was Rossi who spoke te question they were all thinking "Penelope, how long do we have you?"

"We have a meeting in DC on Wednesday morning. We'll be in town until then, I guess." She shrugged, looking to Caroline for confirmation. She nodded and went back to texting furiously.

"And you, Dr. Reid?" Emily pressed the young scholar, who had returned his book to his messenger bag.

"My flight leaves at two forty-five tomorrow. Derek?"

"I'm flying back tomorrow night." His tone was laden with uncertainty, and it made them all uneasy. His tone just conveyed how they were all thinking of the impending departure of their three best agents. In a way, the next twenty-four hours would be decision making time. Was it worth it to stay?

"Well, no use brooding over it." Rossi stood suddenly. "I need a drink. Anyone coming with me?"

"God, that sounds amazing." Emily stood to grab her coat, and the others followed. "Caroline? You coming?"

The blonde jerked up from her cell and looked up to Penelope. "Alex is picking me up in a few minutes. Thanks for the offer, though." She stood and gave Penelope a quick hug, also grabbing her belongings.

"See you Wednesday?" Pen smiled sleepily at her.

"Nine a.m." Caroline grinned and said a quiet goodbye to the others as she passed. Once she was gone, the group made their way out to the cars.

"I like her." Reid commented as they exited into the chilly fall air.

"Calm down, lover boy. She's married." Garcia nudged him with her elbow playfully.

"I didn't mean-"

"She knows." Morgan ruffled the kid's hair and threw his arm around the both of them, wedging his way between them. Emily smiled at the three of them, feeling much happier than she had that morning.

It seemed the gang was all finally at home, she just wondered how long that would last.

OoOoOoO

 _Wednesday_

"God why am I so nervous?" Penelope checked herself in the mirror for the seventh time, adjusting her blouse.

"Why wouldn't you be?" Derek sat cross legged on the bed, watching her get ready. "A meeting with the task force director is no small thing."

"I know but," she crossed the room to grab her black suit jacket," I'm not so nervous about that. It's the after part that I'm worried about."

"After part?" He frowned.

"After this past weekend, I don't know, I guess I just realized that Dubai wasn't home." She tried to explain.

"Dubai? Is that where you were?"

"Not the point, Derek." She hushed him with a glare. He slid off the bed and stood as she got ready to leave. "If I get sent back, what happens?" She splayed her arms, voice rising. "If I get fired what happens? What if I get thrown in jail?"

"Pen-"

"What if I'm sent to court? I can't handle court, Derek, I-"

"Penelope." Derek put his hands on her upper arms, quieting her. "Everything is going to be fine."

"With us, too?" She demanded of him, voice turning into a coarse whisper. "I mean, you were able to get your boss to let you stay in DC for the week, but he's not going to do that every time we want to see each other."

"Pen, it is all going to be okay." He reassured. She seemed to relax a little bit, but there was still worry on her face. "We will figure out a way through this." He lifted her chin so she was looking at him. "You're stuck with me for a while."

She finally smiled, and he replied by pressing his lips to her and kissing her deeply. She wanted so desperately to sink into his warmth and just forget about the rest of the world, but the buzzing phone on her nightstand pushed the two apart.

"I've gotta go." She groaned, grabbing her phone and room key.

"Let me know how it goes." He told her, opening the door and holding it open for her. She touched his cheek fondly with one hand as she passed.

"Hey baby girl." He called as she got midway down the hall. She turned with a slow smile. "I love you, you know that?"

"I love you too."

OoOoOoO

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. I own nothing. Boomie out.


	13. Chapter 13

The quirky confidence that Penelope Garcia usually prided herself on seemed to have completely deserted her, leaving her clammy and anxious. She paced back and forth in front of the heavy wooden doors, wringing her hands together and worrying about everything and anything.

"Pen, come sit." Caroline urged, but the older female shook her head stubbornly and kept pacing. "Pacing a hole in the floor isn't going to do anything."

"Why are you not pacing?" Garcia replied exasperatedly. "You are the one who usually always follows the rules. Why does this not worry you?"

Caroline thought for a moment. "Look, there's something I have to tell you." She replied uneasily.

"Ladies." A dark haired woman had opened the doors and was peering out at them. "He's ready for you."

Caroline gave Pen a _we'll-talk-later_ look and entered first, Garcia following behind.

The director, a balding, tired looking man, sat at his desk, barely acknowledging them as they entered. The assistant disappeared out through the doors, leaving the three of them completely alone.

"Sit." His words were harsh and frosty. When his green eyes looked up at them, they were stony. The girls stumbled into seats, trying their best to look professional despite being petrified.

Penelope half-expected to see a legion of security guards come in to transport them to prison. When said guards didn't seem to be showing up, she relaxed against the back of her seat a bit.

"I will dispense with the formalities, because you both know why you are here." Director Fesnick looked up from his stack of paperwork and seemed to soften a bit when he saw how scared they were. "Please, relax a bit. You aren't going to prison, if that's what you're worried about." He removed his glasses and began polishing them on his shirt.

"What will happen to us?" Penelope asked. "Sir." She tacked on nervously at the end.

"Well, your actions, as noble as they were, will not go without consequences." He returned his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "You took a federal jet without permission and gave no notice to your superiors. You will have to appear in court, but only to defend yourselves."

"So, we're okay?" Caroline frowned.

"Not even close." He grumbled. "Even if the Board of Directors does not choose to punish you legally, you will, at minimum, lose your jobs here. Unless, of course, you choose to resign before that happens."

"Resign?" Penelope felt a conflicting of different emotions-panic, worry, relief. It was hard to keep them all under control.

"Yes. If you are officially dismissed, which I assume will occur by the end of the week, it will be a pretty dark stain on your resume. At least if you resign, you can lessen the blow." Seeing their confused faces, he sighed and leaned back. "Honestly, ladies, if it were up to me, you wouldn't receive punishment at all. I received a phone call yesterday morning-" He pulled a notecard from his top drawer and squinted at it, "-from a _Jennifer Jareau?"_

He returned the card to its original location. Penelope and Caroline frowned a one another in surprise. "She was….adamant about your help on a missing kids case."

"She called you?"

Ignoring Caroline's question, he folded his hands and said "I will try my best to minimize the damage, but you need to make your decision."

"I already have." Caroline murmured quietly. She reached under her coat and pulled out a manila envelope. "I would like to resign, effective immediately."

"Very well. You may leave if you'd like. I'll be in touch by the end of the week." Caroline got up to leave, ignoring Garcia's whispers of protests.

"Can I have a moment?" She whipped her head around to look at Fesnick, who nodded reluctantly. Penelope shot out of her seat and practically ran out of the office, stumbling over her stupid heels.

She caught Caroline just as she was about to get on the elevator. "What the hell was that? You're resigning?"

"You aren't?" Caroline sighed and stepped out of the elevator so she could talk with her friend. "Look, I'm sorry."

"What are you gonna do?"

"That's what I wanted to tell you earlier. I've been offered a job in the state department. Apparently an unnamed source from the FBI gave them a high recommendation of me. I got the call yesterday." Caroline placed her hands on her friend's shoulders and forced the girl to look at her. "I will finally get to be in the same city as my family. Wouldn't you like to say the same?"

With that, Caroline left her alone in the hall, disappearing into the elevator.

OoOoOoO

There was a rapt knock on the door, and he paused the game that was on the hotel television. He stood and made his way towards the offending noise warily. He was surprised when Penelope stood on the other side, tear tracks on her cheeks.

Before Derek could even react, or ask her what was wrong, she was kissing him.

At first, he melted into it. He kicked the door closed and pressed her up against it, one hand on her cheek and the other on her waist, pulling her close. She was intoxicating, and each kiss drew him in deeper and deeper and it threatened to drown him. It was such a good feeling, like a warm fire on a winter's night, that he didn't want to pull away.

But he did.

"What happened?" He breathed. His thumb skated over the tears that slowly snaked down her cheeks.

"I resigned." She replied once she caught her breath, shaky from the crying fest that had taken place in the car on the way to the hotel. She laughed, a few stragglers escaping from her eyes. She removed her hands from his waist and rubbed the tears away. She laughed again feeling ridiculous for doing so. The sound was music to his ears.

"Is that a good thing?" He frowned, chocolate eyes watching her warily.

"I just realized that I wasn't home there." She shrugged. "I mean the long hours, the grisly scenes, the nightmares, they were all bad. But, at least I felt like I was doing something to make the world better."

"Penelope, the team was never the same without you." He tucked a stray blonde hair behind her ear.

"But I guess the real question is, are you coming back?" She raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer.

"Oh absolutely."

OoOoOoO

 _3 weeks later_

"How you doing there, champ?" Rossi clapped Hotch playfully on the shoulder, standing next to him beside the grill. Several burgers, along with two racks of ribs and a special veggie burger for the resident vegetarian, sizzled on the racks before him.

"Better than Reid." He gestured towards the young prodigy, who was furrowing his eyebrows at a chessboard. Emily smirked at him from across the table.

"Face it, pretty boy, she's got you beat." Morgan teased, ruffling the guy's hair.

"Not possible." Reid grumbled, furrowing his brow.

"Em, don't beat him too bad." JJ came to stand next to her raven-haired friend. "You don't want to bruise his ego. We'll hear about it for weeks."

"Momma!" JJ almost had her knees knocked out from behind as Henry careened into her. "Come play with me!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her away from the table, towards the lone soccer ball that rested in the grass. She passed a glance to Will, who smirked and leaned back in his chair next to Reid.

A breeze ruffled the table cloth, and brought with it a familiar sound of car doors shutting. The new guests entered through the front of the house, and after a moment, appeared on the back patio next to the boys.

"Penelope, my dear!" Rossi greeted her fondly and kissed her cheeks. "And Caroline."

"Thank you so much for having us." He hugged her without hesitation.

"Any friend of Penelope, is a friend of mine." It was then he noticed the little blonde head peeking out from behind her legs. "Who's this?"

Caroline stepped aside and picked up the little boy so he was eye level with Rossi. "Austin, can you say hi?"

"Hi." He murmured. When he noticed Henry kicking the ball around. He wiggled around and Caroline put him down so he could go play.

"Checkmate." Although spoken quietly, it echoed around the yard like a declaration of war. The girls made their way over to the picnic table to make sure that it had actually happened. That Emily had actually defeated the chess master himself. True to her word, she had checkmated him.

"But…" he mumbled, looking like a child that had his favorite toy stolen. "I never lose."

"Well, I think this calls for a drink." Rossi made his way over to the group, holding a bottle of wine.

"Wine in the middle of the day? You rebel." Penelope chuckled as a glass was poured for her. Caroline grabbed a beer from the cooler near the end of the table. Will, Emily and Hotch grabbed one as well, while the rest were handed glasses of wine.

"I would like to propose a toast." Rossi lifted his glass, and the others followed suit. "To our friends! I am glad you all were able to join us for what I'm sure is going to be an amazing meal."

"Well, of course, I cooked it." Hotch replied sarcastically. That earned him an elbow from Morgan.

"May we keep these friendships, until the day we die. Salud."

"Salud." Echoed among them.

"Does it sound needy if I say that I reeeaallllyyy don't want you to leave?" JJ came over to Pen and threw her arm around her.

"Well, that's good because I'm sticking around for a while." Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a shiny FBI badge.

"No way!" Emily practically ran to her, and threw her arms around her.

"Yes way." This time it was Morgan who responded, also brandishing a new badge from his back pocket.

"Whaaaat no way." Reid stood and came over to them. "You guys too?" He also brandished a badge, looking smug.

"So you guys are staying?" Hotch looked sideways at Garcia, a smile playing on his lips.

"If that's okay with you, boss." Morgan threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Absolutely." His smirk widened into a full blown smile. "Welcome home."

 _One hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child._

 _-unknown_

OoOoOoO

Aww…Anyways, as you can probably tell, this is the end. If you guys want a sequel, let me know.

Thanks for reading. I own nothing. Boomie out.


	14. Chapter 14

Hey guys! The first chapter of the sequel is up! Drop me a review so I know what you think!


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